In his essay titled "Self-Reliance", Emerson claims that society has an adverse effect on a person’s growth. He contends that self-sufficiency provides one with the freedom to attain true independence and to discover one’s true self. First published in his 1841 collection Essays: First Series, "Self-Reliance" remains one of Emerson's most famous works. His thoughts on individualism, personal responsibility, and nonconformity played a major part in the birth of America’s transcendentalist movement. Thanks to Emerson’s unconventional religious practices and his nontraditional beliefs, he had a profound understanding of every individual’s inexplicable uniqueness and the constantly shifting nature of ideas.